Railway track crossing construction



March 7, 1933. E w B E 1,900,788

RAILWAY TRACK CROSSING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor f1 llorney March 7, 1933. w BAYES 1,900,788

RAILWAY TRACK CROSSING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 30, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor EJ V. Eff em f1 iiomey March 7, 1933. E w BAYES 1,900,788

RAILWAY TRACK CROSSING CONSTRUCTION Filed March so, 1952 4 SheetsShet s Inventor March 7', 193-3. E w BAYES 1,900,?88

RAILWAY TRACK CROSSING CONSTRUCTIGN Patented Mar. 7,1933

PA/TENT OFFICE LIJAH w.' BAYES, or reasons, KANSAS RAILWAY TRACK CROSSING CONSTRUCTION I Application filed. March 30, 1932. Serial No. 602,047.

' This invention relates to an improved railway track crossing construct1on de-. signed to provide certa n structural refinements and improvements in joint structuresfor rails which compose tracks whichinintersect. Present-day methods of laying tracks produce gaps at'the points of, uncture of the respective sets of tracks WlllCh arrangement manifestly developsundesirable track noises and is ruinous to the wheels of rolling stock as well as to the complemental portions of the jointslof the intersecting or crossmg tracks themselves.

The purpose of the present lnvention is to provide a plurality of devices to serve as selectively operable closures for these gaps, said devices being arranged and controlled in appropriately paired relat1onsh1p so as to provide a substantially unbroken tread for the wheels of the rolling stock at; the track intersections and to thereby eliminate noise, jar and undue vibration and to effect more satisfactory results by way of economy, and elimination of damage to the tracks, car wheels, etc.

In the accompanying drawlngs wherein like characters are employed .to designate 30 like parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view showing intersectingor crossing tracks wlth the gap closing devices of my invention installed for alternate use, one group of gaps being shown closed and the remainmg gaps 0 en.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken approximately on the plane of the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1, showing the arrangement for the east to westbound trafiic.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view at right angles to Fig. 2, the section being on the line 33 of Fig. 1 and showlng the north to south bound traflic arrangement. V Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged cross sectional views on the planes of .the' lines 4.4 and 55 respectively of Fig.1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are, perspective views of the details of one of the gap closing devices.

Fig. 8 is'aview. in section and elevat on showing a difierent embodiment of the inilar to that depicted .in

ventive conception, the fundamental idea and baSICCOStI'HCtIOII of which is generically simthe foregoing figures.

Fig. 9-is a planview of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of I of the north and south bound rails are dis tinguished by the numerals 8 and 9 while the rails of the west and east bound tracks are represented by the numerals 10 and 11. As a matter of distinction, the numeral 12 designates portions of the tracks 10 and 11 which cross the tracks 8 and 9 at right angles, to said tracks.

The rails are of ordinary construction, leaving spaces or gaps at the points 13 which gaps are designed to be temporarily filledand closed by the improveddevices constituting the novelty of this invention. In accomplishing this, it is necessary to provide eight gap closing devices which may be convenientlydivided into two sets, that is,

one set for the north bound track and the second set for the west bound track. Each set of devices is obviously made up of four devices arranged in pairs and designed to be simultaneously controlled from a predetermined point. The means for accomplishing this simultaneous operation of parts may be mechanical but is preferably electrical (not shown) and controlled from a switchmans booth within the vicinity of the crossing so that the proper set'of devices may be brought into play according to the direction of movement of the trains.

It is obvious, of course, that only one set of devices is operable at a time, so that it may be said that the two sets of devices are alternately operable and appropriate electric control means is provided to insure this alternate operation to maintain. safety of action. 7 v f a Inasmuch as each device (Figs. l to 7) the same in construction, a descri tion of one will suflicefor all. Each device is of a longitudinally projectible, and retractible type, and by observing Fig. 2, it will be the invention heretoforedescribed.

seen that the devices are there shown as projected into operative positions, while in Fig. 3, they are shown retracted into inoperative positions so as not to interfere with the car wheels. As seen in Fig. 2, the base flange of the rail near the crossing is provided with an elevated member 1 which may be designated as a riser and this is provided with longitudinally spaced guides 15 through which the push-pull operating bar 16 is slidable.

he control element 17 of the bar is conected (in a manner not shown) with the electrical control means or mechanical control whichever is selected for use in the finished installation of the invention. The bar 16 is provided with an upstanding lug 18 to which the bifurcated end of the arm 19 is pivotally connected at 20 as indicated.

The opposite end of the arm is formed with head 21 of a shape shown in Fig. 6 which head provides an abutment 22 to engage the web of the rail as well as an extension 23 w ich is shaped and proportioned to fit in and fill the adjacent gap 13, as shown in Fig. 2. The filling of this gap between the adjacent ends of the spaced out portions of the companion rails pro.- vides a temporary subtsantially solid joint surface forming the requisite continuous wheel supporting tread.

The links 2% which are pivotally connected to the head and underlying blocks 25 serve to provide the desired elevating and lowering action produced as the actuating slide bar 16 is shifted back and forth in an obvious manner. As before stated, in Fig. 2, we see the extension 23 of the respective pairs of devices projected into the complemental rail 'aps while in Fig. 3, the extensions are withdrawn and the arms 19 have been allowed to recede so as not to provide an obstruction to the wheels. of the rolling stock.

The gist of the invention is in the provision of a plurality of groups or sets of gap closing devices alternately operable in proper pairs to be selectively projected into rail gaps or withdrawn from said gaps in proper order so as to provide the desired gap closures and consequent continuous or unbroken wheel supporting treads.

The gap closing devices are of appropriate material and appropriately proportioned and accurately jointed for efficient operation and are calculated to fulfill the requirements of an invention of this class in a highly satisfactory efficientand practicable manner.

Attention is now invited to Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive of the drawings wherein a different style of construction is illustrated. As before intimated, this is fundamentally the same in its general make-up as the form of The embodiinent illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive is believed to be far more simple and economical and positive in construction and arrangement. In these figures, I have shown but a single device, it being understood that all of these devices are the same. The rail to which the device is attached is distinguished by the numeral 11 and it will be observed that in carrying this idea into practice, the base flange 12 is provided with a pair of duplicate longitudinally spaced bearing brackets 13 and 1 1 bolted as at 15 to the un er side of the base flange. llhese brackets serve to provide a bearing for the fulcrum bolts 16 which in turn serve to connect the inner and outer operating links 17 and 18 in place.

The upper end of the link 18 is attached by pivotal and connecting bolts 19 to the adjacent portion of the longitudinally adjustable bar 20. That end of the bar adjacent the gap 21 is offset laterally upwardly as at 22 and terminates in a suitably shaped head 23 to fit snugly in the gap. The linl; 17 has its upper end attached by a pivot bolt 24- to said head whereby both links 17 and 18 are simultaneously operated in raising and lowering the bar and its closing head as the bar is shifted back and forth. This form of the invention. is designed to eliminate a. number of moving parts shown in Figs. 1 to 7.

It is believed to be more precise in operation, far more simple and economical and capable of accommodating a weather shield or enclosure.

The stress and strain. is better equalized and the operation more sensitive. Morcover, it can be more eiiiciently regulated for varying the sensitivity of operation.

The method of operation, however, is the same as that already described and repetition thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

I wish to again emphasize the fact that both forms of the invention fulfill the requirements of the structure of this class in a highly satisfactory and practicable manner, the result being to decidedly eliminate wear and tear on the rails and joints, and to minimize vibration and jar and thereby promote longevity of the rolling stock itself.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purpose ofexemplification, since in actual practice itlattains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is. not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the sevart.

eral claims or the requirements of the prior of the rails being formed with notches defining gaps at the point of juncture of the respective pairs of rails, and a plurality of projectible and retractible gap closing'devices, and means for rockably mounting the devices on the flanges of said rails.

2. In a railway track crossing structure of the class described, a pair of tracks including spaced parallel rails intersecting each other to provide a rail crossing, the heads of the rails being formed with notches defining gaps at the point of juncture of the respective rails, a plurality of projectible and retractible gap closing devices, and means for rockably mounting the devices on the flanges of said rails, there being two of said devices for each rail composed of pairs of simultaneously controlled devices.

3. In a structure of the class described, a track rail comprising a base flange, a web connected to and rising from the flange and having a head, said head being notched to form a rail crossing gap, a push-pull actuating bar mounted in guides on the base flange for longitudinal reciprocation, an arm having one end pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of said bar, a gap closing head on the opposite end of said arm, said head including an abutment engageable with the web of the rail while the head is in the gap-filling position, and links connected to the arms, and means for rockably mounting the links on the base flanges of the rails.

4. In a rail structure of the class de scribed, a truck rail comprising a base flange, a web connected to and rising from the flange and formed on its top with a wheeltread, said wheel tread being notched to provide a cross gap, stationary guide means mounted on the base flange, on one side of the web, an actuating bar mounted for reciprocation in said guide means, an elongated arm'pivotally anchored at one end to the intermediate portion of said bar and having its opposite end provided with an offset head, said head being fashioned to provide an abutment engageable with the web of a companion rail, and a pair of links pivotally attaching said head to the base'flange of said rail for raising and lowering the head in the manner described.

5. In a structure of the class described, a rail including a base flange, a web, a tread, said tread being formed with anotch defining a gap, a second rail extending at an angle to the first-named and formed with a gap adjacent the first-named ga a longi tudinally movable bar located a ongside of the web andadapted for cooperation with control means at one end and having its opposite end fashioned with laterally off-set gap closing heads, a pair of bearing brackets secured to the under face of the base flange of the rail, a pair of duplicate operating links fulcrumed in said bearing brackets, and pivot and connecting bolts securing the upper ends of said links to the adjacent portions of said bars. 7

6. In a structure of the class described, a; rail including a-base flange, a web, and a tread, a bar member located alongside of the tread and web, one'end of the bar being offset laterally upwardly and terminating in an enlarged gap closing head, a bearing bracket removably bolted to the under side of the base flange beneath said head, and a link pivotally attached to said bearing bracket at one end and having its opposite upper end pivotally attached to said head.

7 The combination with the intersecting rails of a railroad crossing having gaps where the rails intersect of gap filling devices for the gaps, each of said devices comprising an actuating slide, a vertically and longitudinally movable gap filling member actuable by the slide, and means rockably connecting said member to the flange of its companion rail, and means for mounting the slide slidably on the flange. v

' 8. The combination with the intersecting rails of av railroad-crossing having gaps Where the rails intersect of gap filling devices for the gaps,each of said devices comprising an actuating'slide, a vertically and longitudinally movable gap filling member actuable by the slide, and means for rockably connecting said member to the flange, and means for slidably mounting the slide on the flange.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ELIJAH W. BAYES. 

